


The Stranger

by Dlxm950, Tsargus (Dlxm950)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Attempted Kidnapping, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, Forced Marriage, Gen, Marriage of Convenience, Multi, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Time Travel, Violence, parental loss
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2020-02-27
Packaged: 2020-05-18 19:39:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,665
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19341259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dlxm950/pseuds/Dlxm950, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dlxm950/pseuds/Tsargus
Summary: When a stranger clams to come from the future with impossible powers and a crazy story one tends not to be so inclined to believe them.Levi would know.They kicked him in the face.





	1. The Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Why couldn't anything just be simple?

Levi watched as the sun began to set.

 

Yellow gave way to red and purple and pink. The clouds in the sky soaking up the color like a sponge.

 

Behind him he could hear the sounds of the city. The children of Trost playing in the street one last time before returning home to bed. Merchants closing their stalls and stores. Friends drinking. Families eating.

 

Peace.

 

It seemed so foreign given everything as of late. One of their own possessing the power to turn into a titan. The loss of wall Maria. Fighting Kenny and the king. The revelations about the truth of the world…

 

...Erwin…

 

So much had happened. Every truth he ever believed. Every nightmare. Every dream.

 

Lies.

 

Suddenly he’s on his knees with his eyes watering.

 

The sun is still setting.

 

All the light.

 

Every Shadow.

 

All falling below the horizon.

 

He didn’t know how long he sat there staring at the sun and the moon. Time seemed meaningless.

 

_Rumble…_

 

His eyes snapped down. A few loose pebbles, (it seemed wrong to call them that considering what they knew of the wall), shook on the ground beside him.

 

_Rumble...Rumble…_

 

Twice.

 

_Rumble...Rumble...Rumble…_

 

Three times.

 

His eyes widened and he looked back out towards the field. Then they widened even more.

 

A single titan was running at the wall.

 

A single _female titan_ was running at the wall.

 

It was easily fifty kilometers out but that distance was closing fast.

 

He had five minutes at the most.

 

No time for reinforcements. It was too far to the nearest station. It would take five minutes just for everyone to put on their gear, even if he did reach it in time.

 

His eyes quickly darted along the top of the wall. No cannons. No garrisons.

 

He could call out for an attack but it was unlikely anyone would hear-

 

**_BOOM!_ **

 

Levi grabbed onto the wall as hard as he could as his body shook. He looked down. A massive boulder was lying just in front of the wall. It was easily the size of a small hut.

 

He looked up.

 

It was even closer. Twenty-five kilometers now. His eyes widened even further. How had It gotten so close? His mind raced to find a plan.

 

Ten kilometers.

 

Seven.

 

Nothing.

 

Five.

 

It was smirking. Thin lips pulled into a self assured cocky smile that only added to the dark intent in its eyes.

 

Three.

 

He stood.

 

Two.

 

Raised his blades.

 

One.

 

Just as he jumped to fire his cables at it one of its massive hands landed beside him.

 

Time froze.

 

He watched in surprise as the massive titan woman _vaulted_ over him. That massive face never losing its smirk.

 

His eyes slowly moved to look at the city. People were staring in horror. Some frozen in shock while other already moved to run.

 

Time began to move again as the screams of the citizens reached his ears.

 

** _BOOM!_ **

 

The titan landed behind him. He turned as fast as he could and fired his cables at it. The female titan moved even faster than before as it ducked under his cables. Once they flew over its head she began to run once more.

 

Straight towards wall Rose.

 

Levi pulled his cables back and gave chase.

* * *

 

“And your absolutely certain it’s the female titan?” Hanji asked once more.

 

“Yes mam. The report came from Trost district ten minutes ago. A single female titan vaulted over the boundary wall of Trost and straight towards wall Rose. Captain Levi engaged it in the city and managed to buy enough time for the garrison to evacuate the civilians and for reinforcements to arrive. Last we heard the engagement was still ongoing.” The young soldier reported.

 

Hanji gave a sigh before dismissing him with a wave of her hand.

 

The female titan in Trost? It shouldn’t be possible. Annie was still in her crystal. Even if it was her she would have been coming from within the walls heading out not from outside the walls heading in.

 

The idea of a second female titan crossed her mind but if what Grisha Yeagers' notes had said was true at all it should have been impossible.

 

Yet here they were fighting a second female titan while the first remained stuck in a chunk of crystallized titan flesh.

 

Still it was odd. If it was a second female titan shifter sent from Marley they showed no patterns that had been present with the others. Eren wasn’t even anywhere near Trost.

 

It _was_ heading towards the capital so it could have been planning on taking Historia but that also made zero sense. If it was here on behalf of Marley why was it being so careful not to kill civilians.

 

So far it had run in a straight line. Avoiding buildings and heavily populated areas. Yet if it didn’t want to harm civilians why even go through Trost at all.

 

The only other explanation was that it-

 

Hanji froze mid thought with her eyes wide and her mouth dropping just a little. Quickly she began to throw on her gear.

 

Once she was ready she grabbed the nearest soldier and gave her order.

* * *

 

Levi was starting to get tired.

 

He had been fighting this thing for hours. They traded blow for blow. For every cut he made the titan threw him away. Cut for fist. Steel for steam. They were evenly matched. Too evenly matched. It was almost like it knew what he was going to do before he did. For every trick he pulled it had the counter.

 

Speed, distance.

 

Power, speed.

 

At one point he attempted to fake it out by fighting to its right and then dashing left. Yet before he had even begun to move left the titan had completely rotated around him.

 

What was most surprising, besides its incredible fighting prowess, was its abilities. As they fought the titan showed multiple advanced abilities that not even Leonhart had used. At one point early in the fight he had managed to corral it into a corner where, once it was right in front of the wall, the garrison had opened fire with the cannons.

 

He had thought it was over there and then. With the amount of firepower they had unloaded  it had to be dead. Yet as the cannons fired it astounded them by bouncing the canon balls off of its hardened skin and right back at the cannons. Completely decimating them without hitting any of the soldiers.

 

That had been five hours ago.

 

Now as they stood facing each other at the gates of wall Rose fatigue gripped him like the hand of death. Unrelenting and unyielding and yet his opponent seemed no more tired than when they started.

 

“You know.” He said panting. “Your really getting on my nerves.” The titan just smirked.

 

But before they could continue a cannon shot off from behind the titan. Its eyes widened as the explosion against its back threw it to the ground.

 

Before it could move to stand a thunder spear struck the back of its knee and blew the leg from its body. Then a second one hit the other leg with the same devastating result.

 

Levi looked up.

 

Hundreds of scouts stood on the wall. At least a hundred canons stood with them. All of them aimed at the female titan.

 

“Hey! Four eyes! Where the hell have you been?” He shouted up at Hanji.

 

The survey corps commander smiled before jumping off the wall to meet him on the roof he stood upon.

 

“Sorry Levi. I needed to gather the troops.” She told him with a smirk.

 

Before he could respond a dry choking noise met their ears.

 

At some point during their conversation the female titan had propped itself up against the opposing building. Its blue grey eyes meeting theirs as it laughed.

 

“Hey! What's so funny? Were not the ones missing our legs.” Hanji yelled at it confusedly.

 

That just made it laugh harder.

 

Levi growled before grabbing the thunder spears from Hanji and firing them at the arms of the laughing titan. Both limbs were sent flying by the blast but the titan still continued to laugh. The dry choking noise filling the air.

 

Levi quickly latched onto the titans forehead and repelled over.

 

“Tch I wouldn’t be laughing so hard if I were you. You don’t want to know what happened to the last titans we let Hanji keep.” He told it.

 

It finally stopped laughing at his words but continued to smirk.

 

While Levi was talking to the titan Hanji took a moment to analyze it.

 

It was clear at first glance that this titan was not Annie. The most clear indicator being the almost blackish grey tint of its skin. Besides that, and a rounder face, it very much held similarities with Annie. The hair style was exactly the same along with the nose. Perhaps a sister? Or a relative of some other kind?

 

Then there was the laugh.

 

While in titan form Annie had remained completely silent yet _this_ titan had laughed. That was a clear increase in vocal capability. She wondered if it had the ability to talk like the beast titan...

 

“Still nothing?” Levi asked. “Are you even alive? I’ll be disappointed if your dead. That was a lot of time and effort for such an anti climactic ending.” Just as he finished speaking the head he was standing on fell forward as the body slumped.

 

Levi quickly jumped to the roof beside the titan and gasped in surprise at what he saw. A very long cut vertically along the titans neck. Before he could shout for the others he was suddenly hit in the chest with what felt like a rock.

 

He looked up just in time to see a foot flying at his face. Then everything went dark.

 

Hanji watched in surprise as an unknown assailant suddenly sprung out of nowhere and began to attack Levi. Before she could even move to help or issue any orders the survey captain was kicked in the head and collapsed to the ground unmoving.

 

Everyone froze in surprise as the stranger stood over the captain.

 

“And here I was thinking the survey corps were supposed to be the best of the best?” They-She, Hanji quickly corrected, taunted.

 

The woman was probably just as tall as Levi if not a little taller. She had short blond hair and a pointed nose. Here eyes were a dark grey-blue color that shone like steel. Besides the hair and the nose she looked startlingly similar to- “Mikasa?!” Eren called out from the wall.

 

The young Asia woman looked just as startled and confused as the rest of them. Her eyes were the size of dinner plates and her mouth was hanging open.

 

The strange woman smirked at the sudden call of Mikasas' name. Her face looking early similar to that of her titans.

 

“Don’t I wish. As if I could ever be as good as my mother.” The stranger said.

 

Hanjis' brain short circuited.


	2. Time, Space, and Headaches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life has funny way of making everything seem alright and then crushing your dreams before your eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A new chapter yay! I hope you all enjoy it!

Eren watched from atop the wall as the impossible happened. 

 

The female titan had just attacked Trost. 

 

Then before he could even process that, a mysterious woman suddenly appeared out of nowhere, knocked out the captain, and was currently holding him hostage in front of the entire survey corps. 

 

Yet even with all of that happening the only thing he could think as he saw this strange woman was…

 

“Mikasa?!” 

 

She looked to her side as Eren yelled her name. Her moment of complete bewilderment suddenly sidetracked by Eren's shout of confusion.

 

Meanwhile on the ground Hanji was having both the greatest and most mind boggling mental orgasm of her life.

 

A titan shifter? From the future?! A child of one of their best soldiers no less!

 

The possibilities were endless. 

 

They need never lose another life again. They could know the outcome for every battle before they even happened!

 

Perhaps they even knew of life beyond the walls.

 

They had already crossed the vast desserts to see the ocean but it gave them very little indication of the rest of the rest of the world.

 

Hanji took a deep breath. There would be time for questions later. Right now this stranger had their best soldiers life in the palm of their hands. 

 

“What do you want? Why have you come here?” She bellowed at the strange woman across the street.

 

The stranger looked up at her from Levi's fallen form and smiled.

 

No not at her. Behind her.

 

Quick as a whip the stranger pulled a sonic round from her pocket and fired it into the air. 

 

A look of horror spread across Hanji's face as she turned to face the wall.

 

Mikasa could see them. Less than twenty feet away. 

 

A hand slowly raising to their mouth.

 

She reacted without thinking. 

 

Breaking rank she pulled her blades from their sheath and went for the head. Only to have her blades intercepted by second person. She could just make out bright blond hair and dark skin before time caught up with her.

 

Mikasa was flung to the side by a full body shove. Just barely managing to stop herself from falling over the edge she watched with a hardened face as two bolts of lightning struck the wall.

* * *

 

Sano watched with joyful glee as her companions assumed their titan forms.

 

She took great pleasure in watching the scouts scramble to counter the sudden threats appearing before them. Yet she was distracted by a light tapping against her boots. 

 

Looking down she was caught off guard as a fist suddenly sprung upwards and into her gut. 

 

“Tch, that was too easy. Are you sure your Ackerman's daughter?” Levi told her boredly. “I expected more.”

 

She didn’t respond rather she simply took a few steps.

 

Levi watched her carefully as she simply leaned against the chimney. 

 

“Maybe I'm simply not trying.” She teased back at him.

 

“For someone not trying that all seemed pretty well rehearsed. I’d almost say yo-” He froze mid way through his sentence as he noticed the small trickle of blood dripping from her fingers.

 

“Surprise.” She said with a waggle of her fingers. Then he was thrown back by the blast of the lightning. 

 

Across the street Hanji gave a shout of surprise as Levi suddenly landed on her. The two of them laying their for a moment in a stuned heap. 

 

“How..is that...possible?” Hanji wheezed out. 

 

“I don’t...know.” Levi responded as he grabbed at his now broken ribs.

 

The two of them staggered to their feet only to be met with a site of pure chaos. 

 

The female titan had joined the other two titan shifter atop the wall. The armored titan cut an imposing figure behind her with its dark brown hair and black armor. While the jaws titan sat upon her shoulder, looking suspiciously similar to Ymir's titan form except with bright blond hair. 

 

The scouts, on the other hand, gave no form at all. 

 

The younger soldiers were trying to get as far away as possible. Using their gear to scramble into the city.

 

What few remained, mostly veterans and more experienced soldiers, were trying their best to curtail the panic or re adjust the cannons to fire. 

 

The three titans just stood there. Watching. 

 

The female titan turned slightly and their eyes met Hanji's. 

 

Giving one of her signature smirks, along with a taunting salute, the female titan jumped of the other side of the wall followed shortly by the other two. 

 

Hanji stood their for a moment blinking slowly before a look of utter exhaustion crossed her face. 

 

“Levi gather up your squad and have them meet me at the military headquarters.” She said shortly.

 

“Should I send someone to follow them?” He asked.

 

“No point. They’ll be long gone by the time we’re anywhere near organized to start a search.”

 

He nodded in response before using his ODM gear to fly off towards the wall.

 

“I know where your heading. Just not what you want.” Hanji muttered to herself.

* * *

 

The meeting room was filled with shouts and anger when Hanji stepped in. 

 

Jean and Eren were at each other's throat while the others stood behind them in support.

 

“I’m telling you she can’t be trusted!” Jean yelled.

 

“And i’m telling you to back off before I make you!” Eren yelled back.

 

“That's enough!” Levy shouted. “Whether Mikasa knew of the woman who claims to be her daughter doesn't matter right now. We can’t prove or disprove anything until we capture them. The two of you ripping each others throats out does nothing more than make a mess I then have to clean up.”

 

“Thank you Levi.” Hanji told him with a node of her head. 

 

Taking her place at the head of the table Hanji neatened the folders in her hand before speaking. 

 

“At o eight-hundred the female titan was spotted heading towards Trost district.” She began. “At twelve-hundred she was incapacitated only to then escape with two other unidentified shifter's in control of the jaws and armored titan respectfully. As of right now we have no information on their whereabouts.”

 

The whole room seemed to be filled with tension as Hanji spoke, each of the Levi squad members looking at each other with varying degrees of panic.

 

“So what do we do?” Levi asked while sipping his tea.

 

Before Hanji could respond Mikasa sprung to her feet. Everyone's eyes snapping to her in surprise.

 

Suddenly under everyone's scrutiny Mikasa felt a small pinch of panic set in her stomach.

 

“Yes, Mikasa?” Hanji asked slowly.

 

“I...I would like to report information I learned during the encounter.” Mikasa said. With a nod from Hanji she continued. “Before the other two titan shifter's changed I got a look at one of them. I didn’t believe it when I first saw it but, having thought it over again, it can’t be denied. The one that turned into the jaws titan looked almost exactly like Ymir.”

 

That seemed to catch the attention of anyone not already invested, yet, before she could be interrupted Mikasa continued. 

 

“As for the claim that the female titan shifter is my daughter, while I can not confirm her claim, I-” She choked a little at that. “I-I’m pregnant.”

 

A lengthy pause met her reveal. Everyone staring at her as if she had just introduced the devil himself. 

 

“Who is the other parent?” Armin asked her softly and intensely.

 

I didn’t pass by anyone that he hadn’t used the word father.

 

“Annie.”

 

Hanji sat with a huff at that. Everyone else remained silent as they processed the information.

 

“How long?” Levi asked her.

 

“One month.” Mikasa responded.

 

Everyone exploded into shouting at that. As if that single extra bit of confirmation had pulled the plug. 

 

Mikasa watched as her friends suddenly launched back into the argument they had been having before Hanji stepped in. Accusations of treason flying left and right. Questions of her loyalty. 

 

It hurt.

 

That her friends couldn’t trust her. That after everything they had been through they were so quick to dismiss her. Jean, Connie, Sasha, even Armin seemed to be hesitant to defend her.

 

The idea that the child she carried now would someday become the monster they had just witnessed. That her bloodline would do such a thing.

 

That to spite everything the world had thrown at her. 

This, this was the cruelest joke yet.

 

With her hands cradling her stomach the dam broke.

 

And for the first time in nearly five years. 

 

Mikasa cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always feel free to comment, constructive criticism is always welcome, just try to keep it respectful.


	3. Dreams and Reality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes the line blurs when what we dream becomes reality and reality becomes the dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know a second update so soon. Sometimes inspiration strikes and you gotta work while the irons hot you know? Anyway I hope you enjoy!

_ “Sano go find your mother! Now!” _

 

_ “It didn’t have to be this way!” _

 

_ There are gunshots. An explosion. _

 

_ So much fire. _

 

_ Red _

 

_ RED _

 

**_RED!_ **

 

_ “Sweet dreams little monster.” _

 

“-no? Sano!”

 

She woke with a gasp. 

 

Grabbing the hand that had been shaking her shoulder she tackled the person to the ground and put her knife to their throat.

 

“Hey! Hey! Easy their.” Freida said with her hands above her head.

 

The tall brown skinned, blonde haired, woman was laying flat on the ground. She was surprisingly relaxed considering the situation.

 

“You know if you just wanted a seat we could have done this last night.” Freida continued with a lecherous grin. Her eyes moving up and down Sano's body.

 

At her words Sano snapped from her adrenaline fueled haze and humphed.

 

“In your dreams Reiss.” She said as she moved to stand up.

 

Before she could however Freida's hands came to rest on her hips. Holding her in place. She raised an inquisitive eyebrow as one of those hands gently grabbed the one holding the knife. 

 

After peeling it from Sano's hand Freida brought said hand to rest on her cheek. 

 

The moment was soft, a rarity in their current situation, and infinitely calming. Slowly the other hand moved up from Sano's waist and up to the back of her neck. Her breath hitched as their faces were slowly brought together in a tender kiss. 

 

Her whole body relaxed. 

 

Suddenly it was like a dream. The warehouse melted away around them. Giving way to lush trees. The concrete below sprouting green grass and lovely flowers. The roof flying away into a bright blue sky dotted with puffy clouds.

 

_ “Sano.” Freida breathed between their kissing. “Sano stop!”  _

 

_ Immediately the half asian woman pulled away.  _

 

_ “What's wrong Reiss? Am I being to rough for you?” She asked patronizingly.  _

 

_ “Never beautiful. It's just...tomorrow-” Freida was interrupted as Sano captured her lips once more.  _

 

_ After a few minutes making out Sano slowly pulled away and rested their foreheads together. _

 

_ “Don’t worry about tomorrow. Just focus on me.” _

 

_ Freida hummed for a moment before pulling Sano down to rest fully atop her. Lulling her fiance to sleep with the gentle rhythm of her heart beet.  _

 

Sano gave a pleased sigh as the memory ended.

 

The blue sky slowly faded away, the grass disappeared, and the floor was once again cold, grey, concrete. 

 

To spite the end of the memory Sano felt at peace. 

 

Their quiet moment was unfortunately not to last as their third compatriot burst into the room.

 

“We gotta move! Some scouts are headed this way!” 

 

With a nod the two lovers separated and began to cover their tracks.

 

The fire supplies were spread across the abandoned warehouse and their camping gear hastily stuffed into their bags.

 

Just as they went to leave Sano paused. Her eyes fixated on the ring she wore. She jolted when Freida grabbed her hand but relaxed when her eyes met the worried ones of the woman she loved. 

 

“I’m fine. Lets go.”

 

With that they disappeared into the market of Mitras.

* * *

 

 

Levi growled in frustration as he glared at the empty warehouse before him.

 

For three days now they had tracked the titan shifters. Each time it seemed like they would get close they found nothing. Empty houses, warehouses, stalls, it didn’t matter. All they ever found were faint traces of fuel for a fire.

 

It wasn’t even substantial proof. Any number of squatters or thieves could have used the blasted thing for their own nefarious purposes. 

 

He gave a sigh. No point wasting anger on it. 

 

“Hey, you two.” He said pointing at the military police members standing behind him. “Check the warehouse again.”

 

They didn’t seem happy but complied anyway.

 

Just as he was about to leave though something caught his eye. A small brown thing just behind one of the boxes. 

 

Stepping closer the words on the top became clear.

 

“Hair dye? What would they need with hair dye?” He asked to himself quietly.

 

“Captain! Captain!” A loud voice yelled from the entrance. 

 

“What is it? Can’t you see i'm a little busy following fake leads?” He said sarcastically.

 

“A message from the queen. You are to report to the royal house immediately.”

 

Eyes narrowing Levi stood and walked over towards the messenger before ripping the message from his hands.

 

Looking it over he just nodded as he made his way out.

 

On the other side of the capital district, Hanji glared at the reports before her.

 

They were a hodgepodge of contrasting statements and varying recollections of the fight in Trost. Scared soldiers exaggerating details and prideful veterans self-aggrandizing themselves to their superior. 

 

Then their was the other folder she hadn’t even bothered to look at. 

 

A combination of medical reports on one Mikasa Ackerman along with interviews from her comrades on her personality and loyalty.

 

That was a Pandora's box for another day. 

 

Standing from her desk in frustration Hanji grabbed at her hair as she began to ramble.

 

“Why? Why attack Trost? If their ultimate goal was to reach Mitras why reveal themselves? They could have easily reached the capital without raising suspicion. So they obviously wanted to get our attention. But to what end? Why would they raise the alarm right as they try to enter the most secure area in the walls? It just doesn't make sense?!”

 

Then it clicked.

 

All the pieces fitting together into a perfect plan.

 

“Unless...their target isn’t the capital at all.”

 

Pushing all of the papers of her desk she stared at the map beneath. 

 

“Oh yes. That makes much more sense.”

* * *

 

 

Historia sighed as she listened to yet another nobleman complain about his taxes.

 

It was the fourth one this morning.

 

It was noon now. She had been at this since dawn.

 

Sitting in the same throne, in the same position,  _ for hours _ .

 

Listening to the rich complain that the taxes were stopping them from getting richer. That her new laws were stopping them from exploiting the less fortunate. That, all in all, she needed to stop being so nice and understanding and return the kingdom to its previous state of corruption and impoverishment. 

 

It was honestly grating on her nerves. 

 

With a sigh she waved her hand for the guards to escort the man out.

 

“Hey wait! Do you know who I am? I will have your jobs for this! Hey!”

 

She gave a breath of relief when she could no longer hear his voice. 

 

Looking to her right she smiled at the young woman holding her timetable. 

 

“Would it be possible for us to break for lunch?” She asked calmly.

 

“Sorry your majesty. There's just one more appointment this morning.” Her assistant said apologetically.

 

Straightening her posture and leveling her face Historia nodded for the guards to let in the next nobleman. 

 

What happened next surpassed even her wildest dreams.

 

Just as the door began to open a loud booming voice carried through.

 

“Hey she loves me! What's your problem? That stick up your ass making it hard for your brain to work?”

 

There was no mistaking that voice. 

 

She stood on shaky legs as her eyes began to water. Her breath shallow in anticipation. 

 

Then the door fully opened.

 

None other than Ymir herself stood before her.

 

Dark brown hair resting in bangs along her face and tied in a short ponytail behind her head. Brown freckled skin, a tone darker in the bright throne room. Lips pulled into that iconic sarcastic smirk that only Historia found addoring. 

 

They locked eyes and that smirk grew into a full cheshire grin.

 

“You miss me?” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave a comment, constructive criticism is always welcome, just try to keep it respectful.


	4. Actions and Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The plan never survives contact with the enemy."  
> -Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took so long but finally here is chapter four.

Armin was sure something was off. 

Then again the entire situation was unprecedented. 

Ymir. In the flesh. Standing awkwardly as Historia latched herself onto her hip.

“What do you think of this Armin?” Hanji asked from his right.

“M-me? Um, well, Ymir being back is great. Not only does it give us one more titan shifter to fight with and the vast knowledge she must have about Marley. But…”

“But what Armin?” Levi asked from his left. 

“It's just...something feels...off.” He said quietly.

Hanji just hummed in response. “And why is that?” She asked.

“I can’t place it. Ymir is back so I should be feeling happy but...something seems...different, about her. I can’t quite place it.”

All three of them watched as Historia wrapped her arms around Ymir’s shoulders and laughed with glee.

That’s when it clicked for Armin.

His eyes slowly widened as a wide fake smile plastered across his face. Hanji and Levi immediately noticed and raised their eyebrows in confusion. 

“What is it Armin?” Hanji asked him in concern.

He seemed to freeze for a moment as everyone looked to him. A small bead of sweat made its way down his forehead. 

“That isn’t Ymir.” He whispered.

* * *

 

 

Reya watched as Sano stared absentmindedly at her engagement ring. 

The two of them were currently standing inside the Reiss family home. The object of their search laying before them. 

A smooth wooden box about four feet wide and two feet tall. The Reiss family seil burned onto the top.

Yet despite their success Sano seemed...disappointed, no, worried. 

“You know she's going to be fine.” Reya started. “She’ll be along any minute now. We’ll take her back home and everything will be fine.”

Sano simply hummed in response. Likely having heard nothing Reya had said.

Reya watched her for a moment before huffing and sitting on one of the couches. 

Sano continued to stand. Her eyes never leaving the ring on her finger as she twisted it with her index finger and thumb. 

Slowly, as the two women continued to wait, the sun began to set. The light filtering through the windows changing from a bright shine to a dull golden glow before finally fading into darkness.

Still they waited.

They lit candles to light the room and rearranged the furniture into a more defensible position in case they received any unwanted visitors. 

Yet no one came.

Slowly the candles began to shrink. First by a fifth, then a half, until finally they barely held any wax at all. 

Still Freida did not arrive.

Sano felt the swell of panic inside her as the moon continued to traverse the sky with no signs of her lover. Images came to mind, horrible malicious visions of Freida dead or dying, her body covered with marks from torture and interogation.

More than once she was tempted by the idea of going out. To take a horse and flee towards the capital in hopes of hearing any news of the woman she loved. But she persisted.

Finally, as the moon began to set and the sun began to rise, they were awoken by the sound of galloping horses. 

Desperate to see her lover Sano ran to the front door, fully prepared to throw herself into the arms of her fiance. Yet as she opened the door she froze.

She was greeted not with the Freida and their purchased mercenary escort but rather a group of scouts.

She stared at them for a moment and they at her.

Then all hell broke loose.

* * *

 

 

“Are you absolutely certain?” Levi asked as they continued to watch the impostor talk with the others.

“Deadly.” He said back. The wide smile never leaving his face.

“How do we do this then?” Levi asked calmly.

“She has nothing to injure herself with but I have a feeling that wasn’t the plan.” Armin responded. “I’ve also noticed that she hasn’t left Historia's side.”

“That hardly seems strange.” Hanji said as a confused look crossed her face. “From what I understand they were quite close.” 

“There is no doubt about that but Ymir was never a touchy feely person. Who ever this is hasn’t stopped touching Historia.”

For the next half hour they watched as the impostor continued their act until they finally reached the trio.

Armin couldn’t help but notice the small beads of sweat on her forehead.

“Queen Historia do you mind we have a few words with Ymir. In private.” Hanji asked.

Historia pinched her eyebrows in confusion but, caching the insistent look on Armin's face, nodded slowly and backed away to talk to the others.

The moment the Queen was out of ear shot Armin dropped his smile.

“I know your not Ymir.” He whispered.

“What do you mean Armin? It’s me.” Ymir-the impostor, said in an attempt to shrug off his accusations

“I almost believed it. I wanted to believe it. But this...is to much. Too circumstantial. First the titan shifters in Trost appear out of nowhere and disappear just as quick. Then right as were looking for them you suddenly appear pulling all of us away from the search?” His words carried across the quiet room. “As much as it pains me to say it, I don’t believe you.”

At his outburst the other scouts turned to the commotion. Some even pulling out their blades. 

Everyone but Historia taking a few cautious steps away as Armin's words sunk in.

“Oh come on! If I was one of these women you were all looking for? Why would I walk into the most secure place in the kingdom?” The double said with a laugh.

Everyone, including Historia, froze at her words. 

“I never said anything about them being woman.” Armin said as he raised his blades.

Something seemed to change in the double. The sarcastic glint in her eyes faded. Her posture shifted, going from ram rode straight to leaning on her left leg. She crossed her arms over her chest and sighed.

“Man, I mean, I knew you were like, crazy smart, but I kinda hoped my disguise would last a little longer. Ya know?” She said. Her voice changing from Ymir's deeper timber to something lighter. More high pitched.

“But I guess that's what happens when you try to fool one of the smartest people to ever live.” Her voice was casual but laced with something dangerous.

Armin saw the glint in her eye milliseconds before she acted. 

Before any of them could move she dashed towards Historia. Pulling a knife out of her pocket she held it to the queen's throat.

“Now here is what's going to happen. Me and mom here are going to go for a little trip. If I see any of you following well...I don't have to remind you of what happened to Trost a few years ago.” As she spoke she began to slowly inch herself and Historia towards the door.

When none of the scouts moved to intercede she began to move faster. Before long she stood in front of the door. She met the eyes of everyone in the room as she reached the hand not holding her mother back to open the door.

Just as she cracked it open, however, a hand suddenly sprung out and shoved a piece of cloth over her mouth. In her surprise she dropped the knife, and subsequently released Historia,  and began to struggle.

Before long however she fell unconscious to the floor. 

When Freida awoke she stared in confusion at the dark walls around her. Three of them to be exact and a set of Iron bars. 

A cell. 

She had been captured.

Sano was going to kill her. That is if the scouts didn’t get to her first.

The cell was small. About five feet wide and seven feet deep. As she tried to stand she found she couldn’t.

Chains attached to cuffs around her ankles and wrists bound her to the back wall and floor. 

She tried to wiggle out of them with little success. 

She sighed.

Then she noticed it.

With the desperation of a woman possessed she frantically began to search for her engagement ring. 

A cough, however, drew her attention to the bars.

Standing on the other side Hanji smirked as dangled Freida's ring by its chain from her hand.

“We need to have a chat.” Hanji said with a maniacal smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always comments are appreciated, however, I only ask that they remain respectful. Constructive criticism is always welcome.


	5. Fragments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the mirror breaks all we are left with are the fragments of who we were before...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry its been such a long time guys. This story is not dead I just got caught up with my other works, so...sorry...again...anyway the next part begins!

Annie gave a light sigh as she felt the morning sun settle on her eyes. The wind was light against her face, buffeting her signature bang back and forth against her forehead, warm and comforting. She let a small smile settle on her lips as a memory echoed in her ears...

_ “Mama, can I go play with Frida? I promise I’ll be back before lunch!” _

_ “I don’t know, what does your mom think?” _

Her eyes opened as the smile fell into her usual scowl. She released a sigh as she sat up, raising her arms far above her head in a stretch, before finally taking in her surroundings. Trost was just as she remembered it, that is too say dull and unremarkable, but what did catch her eye was the large boulder embedded into the ground less than three feet to her right. It had to be at least the size of a small house and was buried roughly four feet into the ground. 

Most importantly the grass hadn’t started growing up the side which meant that it hadn’t been there that long.

_ “Mama me and Frida did it!” Sano called with joy as she burst through the front door. _

_ Annie turned around with a bright smile and pulled her three year old daughter into her arms. “And what is that my little one?” She asked  _

_ “We climbed the boulder stone!” _

“Hey! Lady! No one outside the walls. You need to head inside, now!” A garrison soldier called out to her pulling her from her mind. 

“Hey I told you to get back behind the wall! If you don’t come now I will be forced to restrain-ghhg…”

He dropped dead, his head landing a couple feet behind her with a sickening crunch, what was left of his face frozen in shock. She watched his blood drip from her blade for a moment she found the red almost trance inducing. The crimson glow reflecting in her eyes, that deep feeling in her gut she’d pushed down for Sano’s sake, that same rush that came with ending a life.

“Oh my god...someone call the commander!” Another garrison called from behind her. When she turned she came face to face with a young man, only half her own age-probably around twenty, with light brown hair and scared blue eyes. He was trying to appear intimidating but the shaking of his arms and legs killed any possibility of that. By that point dozens more had arrived standing on the walls and slowly forming a circle around her. 

So she did exactly what she knew would grab Hange’s attention. 

She turned around, meeting each of their gazes, before turning back to the second. She could feel them shaking in their boots as her mouth twisted into a malicious smile. 

Then the ground exploded with a bolt of lightning.

* * *

Levi had been waiting for this day for months. Reports had been flooding in from Trost that the female titan,  _ the real female titan _ , was stomping around. But here he was, babysitting a brat,  _ again _ . They had of course been careful to make sure that Freya didn’t learn this little tidbit and that meant Levi was confined to barracks until they could contain the situation. 

That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to voice just how much he disliked it.

“Four eyes why don’t we just sedate the brat so I can go kill this titan?” He asked bordly.

“Someone has to watch him.” Hange said distractedly as she stared at the scattered maps around her.

He decided to leave it there, no point arguing right now, he knew Hange needed to focus to coordinate a defense. 

But still that didn’t mean he had to like it.

* * *

Mikasa didn’t know how to feel as she watched the female titan rip through another group of scouts. For the better part of the afternoon Annie had remained in the center of the city, she didn’t move around the city, didn’t check the rim, just stayed right in the center. And as she watched it Mikasa felt that same feeling from those first few months before everything fell to shit.

That pit in her stomach when she had first realized that the woman who had held her in her sleep, kissed her in the dark when everyone else was sleeping the night away, ripped her friends to pieces. She never told anyone this but in that moment, so alone and abandoned, it was like watching her parents die all over again. 

She found herself regularly visiting the woman who had both captured and broken her heart. From the fake breach in the walls all the way up to her discovery about the pregnancy. She came down to speak to a crystal. At first she just punched it, multiple times until her knuckles would bleed, before collapsing forward into sobs. Eventually she would just talk about her day, telling Annie everything that had happened during the week, then the pregnancy hit and she suddenly couldn’t face her. Couldn’t go down there knowing that she had a product of their broken love growing within her.

Now though, now there was no more running, by some miracle Annie was standing before her once more, that same sickening smirk on her lips as she ripped a man in half. 

“Mikasa…?” Eren said as he stepped up behind her. His hand settled on her shoulder for a moment as he tried to offer what little comfort he could.

The moment was ruined though as Hange stepped forward. The commander of the scouts staring out at the rampaging titan ripping through the central city. Mikasa could remember when they had first met Hange, she had been so aloof, practically exploding with energy at any opportunity to study the titans. Now though she seemed grave, tired, drained. It wasn’t that hard to imagine a deep set of bags beneath those glasses. 

“She still hasn’t approached the wall?” 

“She’s waiting for me.” Mikasa responded.

It wasn’t a secret. There was only one reason Annie hadn’t assaulted the walls and that was because she didn’t know where Mikasa was stationed. 

“Really? And here I was thinking that monsters like the two of you couldn’t care about things like relationships.” Jean mocked as he stepped out from behind a group of other scouts.

Eren let out a growl but was held back by Hange before he had a chance to throw the first punch. The others just stood aside and watched the confrontation go down.

“She’s not a traitor! Stop calling her that before I make you horse face!” Eren shouted.

“Oh big talk coming from a guy who couldn't win a fight with his own life on the line!” Jean shouted back.

The two of them exploded after that. Eren ripping himself out of Hange’s arms with a cry for blood while everyone else turned to watch the fight break out. Soon people were making bets, crying out for one leader or the other as the two men tousled and rolled on the ground. Hange tried to reign it in with little success, the commanders shouts sinking into muddy clamer of shouting and fighting.

Maybe it was the hormones or maybe it was just the fact that she was the cause of it all but slowly she felt tears begin to fall down her face. 

One

Two

Three

Then there was a warm press beneath her eye. She refused to open them but took great comfort in the warmth of the...she froze.

A puff of air blew against her back. 

The wall had fallen completely silent. No fighting, no grunts of effort, no orders. Silence. She opened her eyes to see everyone in front of her frozen in terror. Their eyes wide and bodies shaking. Behind her she could hear a dry raspy chuckle followed by a light pressure against her hip. With a start she realized she was shaking, her body vibrating as the tremours rocked up and down her spine, after a moment another pressure pressed against her, this time a little harder with more insistence.

She turned and found the face of death before her.

Annie’s titan looked just like she remembered. Like one of those images of a body with no skin, large muscles running up and down her body all leading to those dull blue eyes. With a start she realized Annie was smiling, the manic glint in her eye hardening as she stared down at mikasa from her perch atop the wall.

Then darkness.

* * *

Sano had no idea what was going on. One minute there are guards on every street and the next there gone. The city having been seemingly abandoned by the army for some reason or another. Every fiber of her being yearned to investigate, to use those years working with her uncle Jean in the Garrisons, but she knew she couldn’t. The army was completely distracted by something and that left them a near perfect opportunity to break out Frida.

So as the sun reached its peak she made her move. The titan shifter grabbing her horse and rushing towards the capital district. It took a surprisingly small amount of time to get there, with the military checkpoints abandoned and the gates open wide, it hardly took two hours.

She quickly broke her way into the prison beneath the palace. Making sure to knock out any guards that happened to have been left behind along the way. 

Then Sado saw her, her Frida, the light of her life.

She rushed forward without a thought, racing down the hallway as fast as she could, but just as she reached the cell something suddenly struck her from the side knocking her into the wall and taking her breath away. Before she had the chance to recover though a foot pressed against her back as she felt the cold steel of a blade drift over the back of her neck.

“Why am I not surprised to see you here?” Levi asked her bordly as he tossed a bored look down at her. “You know if you were any more predictable I would have to start questioning your parents skills but then again I don’t suppose you can expect much from the child of monsters.”


End file.
